US embassy welcomes pardon of Azeri civil society activists

The US embassy in Baku issued the following statement on its website:

"The US embassy in Azerbaijan welcomes the Government of Azerbaijan’s October 17 pardon and release of four civil society activists and its October 22 resumption of the Joint Working Group on Human Rights Issues.  

"We hope these encouraging steps will lead to additional positive developments, including the easing of growing restrictions on the activities of local and international NGOs.  We share Azerbaijan’s desire for a stable, secure, and prosperous future and remain convinced that the best way to achieve this goal is to guarantee the rights of all citizens to exercise the fundamental freedoms to which they are entitled under Azerbaijan’s international obligations."Bakudaily.Az